Joanna Page announces she and husband James Thornton are expecting their first child together

So that's what's occurring! Gavin & Stacey's Joanna Page announces she and husband James Thornton are expecting their first child

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UPDATED:

15:02 GMT, 13 September 2012

Gavin & Stacey star Joanna Page has revealed she is expecting her first child with husband James Thornton.

The 34-year-old actress told her fans on Twitter this afternoon, writing: 'Happy news! James + I are delighted to announce we're expecting a baby! X'

James then tweeted a very similar: 'Happy news! Jo + I are delighted to announce we're expecting a baby! X '

'Happy news!' Joanna Page has revealed that she and husband James Thornton are expecting their first child together

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Exciting development: Joanna told her fans of the news on her Twitter page this afternoon

The pair's news comes after Joanna sparked rumours in July that she is expecting after she was spotted looking slightly fuller-figured during her television appearances.

Screen star: Joanna as Stacey alongside Mat Horne as Gavin in the hit BBC series

She was also seen with what appeared to be a small bump as she posed with James at the premiere of The Dark Knight Rises that month.

The happy news comes after Joanna spoke last year about wanting to have a family with former Emmerdale star James.

She told the Telegraph that the 'time is right' for her to start thinking about having a baby.

She said: 'Careers, when they take off, can take your mind off babies temporarily, but I think it always comes back to when the time is right.'

Joanna added that she would not be a 'very glam' mother, and is planning to take a relaxed approach to parenthood.

Asked what kind of mother she would be, Joanna replied: 'Probably the sort who in the first week would be baking all of the cakes and then would be down the supermarket buying stuff and passing it off as my own.

'I’d also be the type who turns up with her hair in ponytail, no make-up and still in pyjamas. I wouldn’t be very glam.'

It remains to be seen, however, if news of Joanna's pregnancy will affect plans for a Gavin & Stacey reunion.

James Corden, who plays Gavin's best friend Smithy in the BBC series, which ran for three seasons, revealed earlier this year that he would like to reunite the cast for a few more episodes.

Blooming: Joanna covered up her growing stomach at the Pup Aid event on Primrose Hill last weekend

He said: 'It would be a crime not to, it’s a great show. Writing with Ruth is a gift, I definitely plan on doing some more.'

However, Ruth Jones, who took on the role of Stacey's best pal Nessa in the show, later dampened the rumours, saying: 'I think what he said was: “It would be a shame for me and Ruth not to write again together.”

'But there are no plans to do any more at the moment. He’s really busy, I’m really busy.'

Moving on: James (far left) as John Barton in Emmerdale. He left the ITV soap when his character was killed off in a car crash in February

Meanwhile, James, 36, has been voicing a BBC lunchtime show called My Worst Deal since his Emmerdale character John Barton was killed off in February.

At the time, he said of his future projects: 'I just want to carry on doing different projects. What's brilliant is that I took this job and I'd never done soap before. I'd done theatre, drama, films, but never a soap.

'It's been a really interesting experience and I've learned from it, so now I just want to carry on learning. Hopefully you never stop learning and improving in this business, so I want to carry on challenging myself.'